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In the run up to Spain's local and regional elections at the end of May, politicians have been trying out unsual ways to entice voters - many of which they most probably now regret.

1. Nakedness

Socialist party candidate in the Cantabrian town of Meruelo in northern Spain, Luis Alberto Nicolás, caused a stir when he appeared on his campaign posters naked except for a strategically placed rose - because why wouldn't stripping off pull in undecided voters? The problem was that no one in the party had approved his naked campaigning and Nicolás was promptly ordered to take down all the posters he had plastered on the walls around town. You would think he would have learnt from previous naked campaign fails...

2. Taxis

Madrid's two Popular Party candidates, for mayor and regional president, have kicked up a fuss among taxi drivers by paying to have their campaign posters fixed to the city's taxis – only for them to be promptly vandalized. Taxi drivers have complained that people are refusing to travel in their taxis because of the political bias they proclaim.

3. Resigning co-founder

Podemos co-founder Juan Carlos Monedero. Photo: AFP

Podemos have taken Spanish politics by storm this year, but the party has recently lost one of its most important figures. While it may not have been an election strategy, having a co-founder resign mere weeks before the election cannot be good for voter confidence. Juan Carlos Monedero, former advisor to late Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez, quit the party over "ideological differences" at the beginning of May.

On Wednesday May 13th, Spanish Prime Minister Mariano Rajoy got on his bike alongside Madrid mayoral candidate, Esperanza Aguirre and regional president candidate, Cristina Cifuentes. They cycled along Madrid's river on the "Madrid bici" bikes, which are part of Madrid's cycle scheme. Rajoy and Aguirre put past feuds behind them as they awkwardly cycled along the river for the photo op.

The Popular Party candidate in Getafe, south of Madrid, has been handing out condoms along with his election leaflets. Juan Soler-Espiauba Gallo has been distributing little packets containing a condom and emblazoned with his face alongside the slogan "Sensitivity and efficiency". Soler has said that the campaign has been "well received among young people" and will help continue the policies of preventing pregnancy and sexually transmitted diseases.